Stolen Desires
by foxohki
Summary: Kurama attempts to steal a gemstone that can grant his greatest desire, only to find he's beaten to the punch. The fox demon teams up with another would-be thief to track the jewel, but new desires begin to stir. GW/YYH crossover, Duo/Kurama, SLASH/YAOI
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters of Gundam Wing are owned by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Bandai Entertainment. All characters of Yu Yu Hakusho are owned by Yoshihiro Togashi and Viz Media/Funimation. Anything you recognize is either not mine or is pure coincidence. I am not making any money from this fiction.

Rating: T for a few swear words, mild situations, nothing graphic.

Author's Note: Again, in case you did not read the summary, this story is SLASH, YAOI, a MALE/MALE relationship! There will not be anything too graphic in this story, but the relationship is still there. If you do not like reading slash pairings, you HAVE BEEN WARNED! On a further note, this story was written on request of my roommate, who supplied the pairing, told me "they're both thieves, figure out how to get them together" and left me with that. Hopefully, someone else will enjoy this as much as she did. Constructive criticism and comments are welcome, as are rave reviews! Flames will be used to light my grill and cook some steaks.

**Stolen Desires**

**Chapter 1**

Bright rays of moonlight cut into the floor of the otherwise black void of the expansive rooms, shedding little illumination in the lifeless building. Tall, narrow glass windows rose ominously along the long-reaching rooms, giving a checkerboard-like design displayed upon the countless artifacts housed within the massive structure.

Large, imposing statues stood about as silent guardians along the room, each one depicting a man with some type of weapon raised in a glorious salute to his stalwart duty. A heavy silence hung about the great, tomb-like rooms of the expansive museum, and any living creature within would be chilled to the bone from the bleak atmosphere within.

But a small shadow darted across the brief beams of light as if intently searching for something that lay hidden within the catacombs of rooms. The briefest flash of red danced from window to window as a tall, nimble male dashed from statue to statue as if using the silent structures for cover against their very own haunting gaze.

His name was Yoko Kurama and his intent was anything but guiltless as his dark, forest-like eyes scanned the hundreds upon hundreds of glass cases littered about the museum. Slender fingers tugged down against the tight sleeve-less vest of the black suit he wore, allowing his form to blend more easily with the shadows that haunted the peaceful exhibits. He had almost found it insulting how easily he was able to sneak past the single stationed guard and avoid the simplistic security system, almost regretting donning his favorite stealth outfit.

The deep green of his eyes flickered back and forth intently as he scanned the darkness before him, his blood-line easily giving him access to sight in the blackness of night that concealed many of the smaller tables. He felt his pride as a thief begin to burn as his gaze fell upon his target: a small, unattended display case housing a big poofy pink cushion.

Resting atop the pillow in the case was the target of his desire, the one thing that would make him resort to breaking into such a simplistic storage facility as this. The Kitsune's Eye shimmered silently atop the cushion, almost begging and pleading for the demonic thief to steal it. A crystal-clear stone with a dark red slit-like impurity racing down the middle of it, giving the faintest illusion of being an animalistic eye, rested comfortably atop the stand.

The tip of his tongue slid out to moisten the quickly drying flesh of his lips, his heartbeat beginning to race against his chest as he gazed longingly at the gemstone. Any other target would have been simple and unappealing, but this jewel had haunted his mind for centuries upon centuries of eluding his capture. It had begun years ago, when he was still a high-ranking demon in the other world, when he had first heard of it. The gem with the power to grant any spirit its truest desire, but could never be stolen due to a curse that haunted it.

Anything else was child's play to him; he wouldn't even so much as bat an eyelash at another prospective target, but this gem had slipped from his grasp so many times that he almost longed to simply bowl the stand over and grab the stone. But the last time he had tried that, a terrible thing had happened and he had become injured, forcing his spirit to find sanctuary within a newborn's body to regenerate itself. He knew now, that if he rushed the rest of his mission, the unforeseen could happen and then he would really never reach his dream.

Slowly, he crept toward the towering stand, making note to lift his legs high enough to step over an invisible laser or duck his shoulders down below a motion sensor. He shifted and contorted his slim body about, maneuvering around the simple human protection that hindered his direct approach to his target. He had to stop several times to reach his hands back and draw the thick mane of his fiery-red hair about before it threatened to shift beyond his control and give away his presence.

The inviting gem began to draw ever closer as he took careful steps to avoid alerting anyone, his goal mere moments from being within his grasp. His last obstacle would be to remove the fragile glass case surrounding the gem without setting off what he assumed to be a multitude of alarms and sirens.

The faint reflection of the Kitsune's Eye shimmered across the green spheres of Kurama's own eyes as he drew himself up before the case, his target just a few seconds away from being in his possession. His legs bent as he crouched over the simple glass case, almost amazed at how utterly useless the defenses had been in the building. So intent he was, on his target, he never heard the other shadow in the room.

A soft click echoed against the side of Kurama's ear, causing the startled thief to spin around with his fingers snapping a crimson-red rose to his palm. The dark black metal of a gun barrel hung less than an inch from his face as his hand drew back; ready to summon his Rose Whip if he needed to.

"Ah, ah, babe," a voice warned him in the darkness, his eyes falling upon the faint outline of a slender figure standing before him. A long brown braid hung lazily over the figure's shoulder, reaching down to hang just above the narrow waist of his surprising menace. "Drop whatever ya got in your pretty little hand and maybe you walk away without a bullet in your think-tank," the figure ordered, obviously unable to distinguish shapes as well as Kurama could in the darkness.

Kurama narrowed his eyes as he stared up at the male. Yes, his mind registered it as a male, despite the long braid, debating whether or not it was worth it to harm a human in the completion of his goal. With a sigh of resolve, the red-haired thief allowed his fingers to drop the stem of the dangerous flower, the petals bouncing against the ground gingerly as it fell.

"Good girl," the gun-wielding man said, shaking the barrel a bit as if to move Kurama aside. Kurama noted the equally dark outfit of the man holding the gun, almost marveling at the mirror of his own clothing before his eyes fell upon the simple white collar wrapped around the man's neck.

Did priests in the human world always carry guns and break into museums? Kurama couldn't recall, noting he'd seen stranger things since his revival here.

At the gunman's request, Kurama stood upright and nearly choked on his own tongue at the realization. He stood a good distance taller than the other man, perhaps a foot or so more, and he was amazed at how easily someone so small had been able to possess the skills needed to sneak up on a well-trained thief such as himself. He also noted, much to his diminishing pride, the man holding the gun was much younger than he, perhaps just shy of sixteen years of age.

_In all my years alive, never have I met someone so…sneaky_, Kurama mused to himself, lifting his arms in defeat at the gunman's insistent waving.

"Now be a doll and stand aside, I need that little stone for a friend of mine," the younger man ordered, the gun still trained on the tip of Kurama's chin. He had never found it insulting when people would confuse him with the opposite gender, knowing that would be the case because of his flowing long hair and slender frame, but for someone several centuries his minor, he was almost ashamed to be at such mercy.

The taller man opened his mouth as if to defend his own case when a loud crash behind him drew both of their attention away, snapping around to look at the now destroyed table. Three glowing green dots hung above the air, the lenses of night vision goggles, staring back at the two men that stood dumbfounded at the sight.

For the second time tonight, Kurama had found himself at a disadvantage in stealth, noting that he was growing careless in his age. Although the smooth-skinned demon looked to be no more than seventeen years old, deep within him housed a force that was several millennia older. But it was only in times of dire need in which that inner being rose up, revealing the hidden power that slept dormant within Kurama's soul.

"Well, well, now ain't this a sight?" An obviously feminine voice mocked beneath the glowing orbs of the goggles. "Three thieves, one target. Imagine my surprise, neh?" There was a thick accent when she spoke, as if she hailed from places more south than they currently stood. Probably from the southern region of the States, Kurama remembered.

"The hell!" the braid-sporting gunman yelled, aiming the barrel away from Kurama's bemused expression towards the woman that now towered over the two young men. "Give that back!" He yelled, pointing his free hand to the Kitsune's Eye that was gripped firmly in the woman's gloved-fist.

"Oh? Why don't you make me, little boy?" she teased back, slipping the gem into a dark leather pouch hanging against her well-rounded hip.

Kurama felt a slight jump in his heart rate as he noticed, like himself and his gunman assailant, that the woman wore black. But she wore much more black than the both of them, a tight form-fitting suit of black leather hugging against every sensual curve of the thief-woman. If the situation were different, Kurama feared that he would feel his throat grow dry at the secrets that the outfit did little to conceal on the woman's frame.

"Oh yeah? I will!" the brown-haired man said, squeezing his finger around the trigger a split-second too late. Already the woman was flipping backwards away from the assault, the bullets whizzing passed her harmlessly as she dodged his attacks. "Dammit! Hold still!" he ordered, emptying an entire clip into the darkness as his eyes lost visibility after so many yards into the room.

"Tsk, tsk, Darlin'. You shoulda kept a few rounds handy, how else do you plan to get out?" The woman's voice teased from the darkness that obviously hid her from the gunman's eyes; however Kurama kept his cold gaze locked on her retreating silhouette. He could see her as if it were as bright as daylight in the large museum, yet he stood numbly by as the loud cracking of the gun burst against the side of his ear and temporarily deafened him.

"What're you talkin' about?" The braided man called back. Before she could respond, the familiar wail of sirens began to sound outside of the windows of the building, signaling the arrival of whatever meager law enforcement the town had.

"Crap! Let's go!" The young man's voice ordered as his fingers reached out to grasp Kurama's thin wrist. Before he could protest, the red-headed man found himself being dragged behind the shorter man as if a dog was being pulled behind his owner's leash. Kurama felt a small flush grow against his cheeks at the surprisingly warm feeling of the other man's skin wrapped around his, wondering if it were a result from the heat generated by the firearm's discharges.

"Sorry about that," the shorter man offered over his shoulder as he lead Kurama down a long hallway of the museum, obviously retracing the steps that he had used to break into the building in the first place. "It's my fault. They probably heard me fire the gun," he explained as his other hand slipped the mentioned firearm into the waistband of his pants at the small of his back.

It didn't take them long to slip out the small, broken window that had been used by the brown-haired man to get in, but they didn't slow their flight away as they heard more and more of the sirens draw near. Much to Kurama's growing annoyance, the shorter young man held a firm grip around his wrist, as if he were actually helping him to escape.

The crimson-haired man opened his mouth to protest when he heard the familiar sound of thunder overhead, causing him to snap his jaw shut tensely. He hated when it stormed and he didn't have shelter, his more primal nature filling him with dread at the thought of being caught in a torrent of rain and wind. He couldn't tell where his hotel was from there, the brunette man leading him down several small alleyways and causing Kurama's sense of direction to explode trying to remember where they were.

"Come on, I feel kinda guilty about it so I'll let ya crash at my place," the shorter male said before several cold slashes of rain dropped against the exposed arm of Kurama, sending a cold chill racing down his spine. If it weren't for the rolling crash of thunder, Kurama may have been able to pry himself away from the tight grip of the other man's fingers, but each time he saw the flicker of lightning in the distance his animal-like nature forced him to timidly follow behind the racing man.

Before long, they had arrived at the younger man's home, a tall collection of apartment rooms that towered high above the streets. It stood many stories taller than any other building around, giving Kurama a sense that the man who had lead him here had a great wealth of money behind him, that may actually prove useful in the future.

By the time the two stepped into the doorway of the shorter man's apartment, both were soaking wet with heavy rivers of water dripping down the suddenly heavy mass of hair both were sporting. A light flicked on almost instantly, allowing Kurama to see into the room far easier than his demonic eye-sight could allow him to.

It was rather untidy, but not altogether messy. Unfolded clothes hung lazily about like deflated balloons along the floor, a small trail leading towards a room that Kurama could only assume was the bathroom from the musty smell that assaulted his demonic senses. Empty pizza boxes were scattered about several tables, with a small black laptop resting in front of a couch that looked like it had constant use. The kitchen wasn't disgusting by any means, but there were unwashed dishes and discarded take-out boxes piling up along the counter.

"Go ahead and make yourself at home," the voice called beneath a mass of brown tendrils as he undid his braid and whipped it about to squeeze water from his hair. "It ain't much, but it's cozy." The young man disappeared into the dark room that Kurama had guessed correctly as the bathroom before returning, shirt removed, with two big fluffy towels. He threw one around his narrow shoulders and held the other out to Kurama, a small smirk across his face.

"Thank you," Kurama finally managed to say, accepting the towel. His fingers reached up to undo the fabric straps of his vest when he noticed the other man spinning around quickly, turning his gaze away.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" The shirtless man sputtered, a hot blush dancing onto his cheeks as he gripped his fingers tight against either side of his towel. His hands drew the fluffy fabric up to dabble against his soaking hair as he tried as hard as he could to keep his eyes from bursting from their sockets.

"I am simply removing my shirt to dry off," Kurama informed him with a slight raise of his eyebrow. He hadn't been aware that what he was doing was wrong, but then, some human cultures were still weird and alien to him, so he guessed it was polite not to stare at another man.

"Well, can't ya do that in the bathroom?" The brunette whined, lowering the towel to dab into his ears as if he had gotten moisture into it.

"I'm sorry, I was unaware that it was improper in this country," the redhead offered with a small shrug, finishing the unfastening of his vest and shucking it off, allowing it to drop to the ground with a wet splat around his feet. His hands reached up to quickly encircle the soaking mane of his hair, shaking his fingers quickly to dry off the back of his neck least he come down with some kind of illness.

"Well, of course it is!" The younger man said, wheeling around to address Kurama. It hadn't occurred to him that maybe the red-haired person wouldn't stop undressing, despite his warning. His jaw hung slack at the bare sight of a well-toned slender man standing before him. "Oh. You're…You're a dude."

Kurama blinked the dark emerald of his eyes in confusion as he stared back at the startled blue orbs of the other man. "Why, yes. Yes, I am. I apologize; I did not know you didn't realize it." It suddenly raced into his mind why the other gentleman was being so polite and a knowing smile had forced itself onto Kurama's pale lips, having thought that the other man had realized it sometime during their exodus.

"Well, damn, didn't know that," The brunette said, scratching the towel against the back of his neck as he mumbled something else under his breath. He chewed against his tongue for several seconds as if looking for the words to voice his thoughts, unsure of if he was happy or not about the sudden revelation.

With a simple shrug, the shorter man took a step forward and held his hand out in greeting, a joyful smile replacing the grim stare from moments before. "Oh, well. The name's Duo. Duo Maxwell."

Kurama offered a small nod in return, his own hand reaching out to grasp the one offered to him. "A pleasure, Duo. My name is Yo…Shuichi. Shuichi Minamino," Kurama instantly caught himself before revealing his true name, unaware of the reputation that may precede him. He was never a well-known demon in his former life, but he'd encountered enough people to know that the name of 'Kurama' could still make or break a friendship.

"Shuichi, eh?" Duo said, drawing his hand back after the brief shake. The short man offered a simple shrug before he turned and walked towards another room beside the bathroom. As far as Kurama could see, a big mattress lay in the darkness of the room just beyond the doorway. "You can take the couch, Shuichi, it's pretty comfortable. I'm beat so I'ma hit the hay. We'll talk in the morning about what happened tonight, if that's okay?"

"Thank you, Duo," Kurama called after the retreating man, the towel wrapping tight around the shivering neck of the demon-thief. Duo gave a small shrug of his shoulders before he kicked the door closed behind him, the faint sound of snoring quickly following suite as the man had succumbed to sleep before he even reached the bed.

A soft sigh escaped the red-haired man's throat as he made his way towards the couch and fell face first against the lumpy cushions. Kurama groaned as he buried his still wet face against the single pillow left on the furniture for him, the night's events weighing heavily on his mind. He had been so close to his goal, and it had been snatched out from beneath his grasp.

**End Chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters of Gundam Wing are owned by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Bandai Entertainment. All characters of Yu Yu Hakusho are owned by Yoshihiro Togashi and Viz Media/Funimation. Anything you recognize is either not mine or is pure coincidence. I am not making any money from this fiction.

Rating: T for a few swear words, mild situations, nothing graphic.

Author's Note: Again, in case you did not read the summary, this story is SLASH, YAOI, a MALE/MALE relationship! Here we get to see the beginning feelings of a potential relationship between the Duo and Kurama. Poor Duo, he's so confused! Constructive criticism and comments are welcome, as are rave reviews! Flames will be used to light my grill and cook some steaks.

**Stolen Desires**

**Chapter 2**

Duo groggily drew his eyes open, the unruly mess of his hair hugging plastered against his cheeks. His hand numbly reached up to wipe away the small trail of drool that had begun to dribble from his mouth, grumbling as he wiped it against the carpet beneath his face. The makeshift pillow of his towel hung still moist around his neck where it had laid all night.

He slowly sat up, realizing he hadn't even made it to his bed before he had passed out and fallen to the floor to sleep. A tender knot on his forehead throbbed from the uncomfortable position he had forced himself to sleep in. His mind slowly began to churn at the thoughts of the previous night, a soft sigh escaping his lips at the sudden disappointment of what had happened.

He drew himself off of the floor, allowing the towel to fall to his feet and reached for the doorknob, giving it a quick jerk open. He froze in mid-step at the sound of a gentle, rhythmic breathing coming from his couch, his eyebrows knitting together as he struggled to remember who it could be. A wave of understanding washed over him as he remembered his guest from the previous night, one of the few new 'friends' he had met at the museum.

Duo quickly tiptoed towards the back of the couch, peering over it to stare at the man who lay on his back atop the cushions. His strong fingers gripped over the edge of the couch as he peeked over, watching the steady motion of the smooth chest rising and falling below him, the other man's towel wrapped around his neck in the same fashion as Duo's had been. That's when the young man formed a sinister idea.

He worked quickly and quietly, almost running on his tiptoes to the kitchen and throwing the fridge open. His fingers hastily wrapped around the metal tube of whipped cream before he spun again, knocking the door to the unit closed with his heel as he raced back toward the couch as nimbly as he could. He allowed a small cackle to escape his lips as he leaned down and lightly drew the nozzle of the can across the open palm of the man sleeping on his couch.

With his dark blue, almost purple, eyes trained on the soft features of the sleeping man, Duo pressed the edge of the nozzle a bit and sprayed a thin stream of the white, fluffy cream into the older teen's open palm. Duo had to contain a round of snickering as he set the can aside, reaching up cautiously to snatch the edge of the other man's towel. Giving it a gentle tug, he drew the very corner around to the smooth skin of the other man's cheek, giving it a brief tickle.

The slumbering man didn't lift his arm, just groaning weakly as his shoulders gave a brief shiver. Noticing the lack of a response, Duo gave another tickle, this time a bit more forceful to apply more surface area to the caress.

This time the sleeping man simply turned his head, the closed eyelids twitching slightly as the older teen's face rest straight before Duo's. Duo felt his breath catch a bit in his throat as he watched the sleeping man's lips part just enough for the warm, gentle caress of his exhaling breath to tickle against Duo's own cheek.

"Gah!" Duo choked at the sudden sensation of being so close to another man, despite having thought of his houseguest as a woman the night before. He quickly stumbled back away from the couch, releasing the towel and slamming his butt hard against the edge of the coffee table behind him. The towel flopped down from his grasp and slapped down across the other man's tender neck, causing him to finally stir.

The slender fingers of the sleeping man flinched up, smearing the chilly white cream across his unsuspecting cheek. The hand slid down and brushed across the edge of his exposed neck, only succeeding in rubbing the moist confection across the smooth valley of flesh. The sudden cool feeling instantly drew the dark green pools of his eyes to flutter open, a confused purse forming on his lips as he perked a single red eyebrow.

Meanwhile, Duo sat numbly by as he watched the whipped cream begin to melt against the warm skin of the man laying before him, his eyes growing wide as he watched tiny white rivers begin to roll down along the edge of the redhead's collarbone. The normally mirthful brunette stared wide-eyed at the sight of the chilly mass sliding along the smooth surface, causing Duo's chest to constrict at the sight.

He could feel a hot blush dancing onto his cheeks as he stared at the sight, for the first time in awhile drawing his words away and leaving him speechless. It wasn't until he heard the other man's voice – Shuichi's voice – that he snapped back to his senses.

"Duo? What is this?" The newly awakened teen inquired, holding his hand up to show the quickly melting pool of white cream that remained nestled in his palm. The sparkling pools of green stared inquisitively at the startled teen as Shuichi sat up against the couch.

Duo could only gulp back a heavy gasp he watched the melting liquid of his prank begin to race down along the small ridges of muscle along the redhead's chest, the rivers growing more and more narrow the further south they traveled. His dark blue eyes stared in disbelief at the sight of a quickly hardening bud of Shuichi's nipple as the mildly cool liquid danced around it before rolling further down to places unknown.

Much to Duo's great relief, Shuichi quickly snatched the towel he had been using as a pillow and drew it against himself, quickly brushing the sticky liquid away. A deep sigh of comfort rushed from Duo's lungs as he finally tore his eyes away from the other man's chest and looked up, a joyful grin spreading across his face.

"Ah, sorry Shuichi. It was just a joke, get it?" Duo said, reaching a hand back to scratch against the back of his neck bashfully. His brow bunched in a concerned frown as his fingers met with free hair, feeling for the first time in a long time the lack of a big thick braid.

"A joke, yes. Very humorous," the older teenage offered, a faint smile tickling against the side of his lips. His head tilted slightly as he drew himself up from the couch and arched back, popping several aching joints from their discomfort. A satisfied groan escaped his throat as he rotated his shoulders in large windmills, working the stiffness from his arms from the awkward position he had been forced to sleep in.

Duo quickly followed up to his feet, his hands working quickly to tie his hair back in his trademark style.

Then a thought struck the brown-haired man and Duo excused himself with a quick bow. He leapt over the edge of the couch and dashing into his bedroom where he began to rummage for a fresh set of clothes.

"So, hey, I was thinkin'," Duo called from his bedroom to the other man who remained in the living room, "It's obvious that we both were after that Eye thing last night. And I'm thinking that, since you didn't try to steal it from under my nose or nothin', we could maybe work together and try to get it back?"

"I was thinking the same thing," the redhead responded from the other room, "I simply require the gem for a moment or two. Then I would be glad to let you have it, once I was finished." His words seemed so polite for someone as ingrained into the profession of theft that Duo almost doubted Shuichi had snuck in all on his own the night before.

"Good deal!" Duo declared as he emerged from his room, a fresh set of clothes adorning his thin frame. His fingers worked quickly to roll the sleeves of his jacket up as he marched proudly for the door where his boots lay from the night before.

"Are you leaving?" Shuichi asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion at the sight of the freshly dressed teen heading for the door.

"Yeah, I got a couple contacts I need to check in with about last night; they might know who stole from us," Duo explained, slipping his still damp boots onto his feet. He had to hop back and forth as he struggled to wiggle his toes into the end of the boots, a sickening squish filling the room as the moisture pressed against his skin.

"I see," the taller teen said with a nod, raising a hand up to cup under his slender chin as if he were lost in his own thought. "That would be a wonderful idea. We must leap onto the trail while it remains hot," he confirmed after a moment. "Give me a second and I will join you." His eyes quickly darted around the room, eagerly searching for the location in which he had deposited his vest the previous night.

"Naw, it's okay. My guy doesn't like strangers. You just hang tight and make yourself at home, I'll bring home some food when I come back," Duo offered before yanking the door open and slipping out before it slammed closed behind him.

***

Duo grumbled as he fumbled with the doorknob to his apartment, both of his hands grasping several large plastic bags that contained a wide assortment of food. He wasn't exactly sure what his temporary partner liked, so he had stopped along the way and gotten a little bit of everything. A small bag even hung from his jaw, a warm waft of steam rising up to tickle the bottom of the young man's nose almost forcing a sneeze from the young man.

With a muffled crow of triumph, he kicked the door open with so much force that it rattled the few pictures hanging around on the walls. Duo strutted in, his arms waving back and forth wildly before he froze just inside of his doorway.

Every inch of his apartment was sparkling clean. The clothes that had littered the floor were gone; the pizza and take-out boxes that had once adorned his counters were missing, large trash bags sitting idly beside the door as if awaiting their removal. The counter itself looked to have been scrubbed by an extremely powerful detergent, the faint scent of citrus dancing through the air as Duo drew a sharp gasp around the plastic in his mouth. There was even a fresh vase sitting atop his coffee table beside the laptop he used, a bouquet of freshly cut roses standing proudly in the little glass container.

Duo glanced about quickly for the man he had left in his home, wondering what on earth could have compelled the older teen to do such an extensive cleansing, when he heard a gentle humming coming from behind the closed door of his bedroom. Dropping the plastic bags that contained food off at the counter, Duo quickly rushed over and shoved the door open, his mouth dropping agape at the sight.

Shuichi stood beside Duo's freshly made bed, a pile of what appeared to be recently washed clothes before him as his fingers worked quickly to fold and compress the fabrics. A soft sound vibrated from the redheaded man's throat as he idly flipped over several shirts, creasing them along the edges and folding them over neatly. Stray wisps of his hair hung lazily about his forehead as he twisted away, placing several of the neat piles atop Duo's dresser.

"W-What the hell are you doing!?" Duo barked, storming across the floor and closing the gap between himself and the startled older teenager who was busy straightening up. He reached a hand out and snatched one of Shuichi's wrists as it reached out for another crumpled up piece of clothing from the pile.

"You said to make myself at home, and I usually keep my home nice and tidy," Shuichi said indifferently, his forest-like eyes flicking down to glance at his wrist before turning up to stare into the cold stare coming from Duo. "I'm sorry if it's not to your liking, but I thought you would appreciate a little order in this chaos."

"I **LIKE** my chaos!" Duo yelled, lifting his hand away from Shuichi's to throw his arms into the air. "I knew where things were in my chaos!"

"You can still know where things are," the fiery-haired man offered, reaching his now free hand up to brush the tips of his fingers across his forehead, drawing the stray hairs away to tuck behind his ear. "It will just take some patience on your part, that is all."

"I ain't got patience!" Duo whined, spinning around with a huff and marching out the door of his room. The long rope of his braid brushed against the dresser, knocking several folded shirts to the floor before he disappeared from the room. He heard the other male shuffle around behind him, assuming he was retrieving the clothes that he had knocked off in his huff.

"I'm sorry," Shuichi's light voice came as the older man emerged from Duo's room, smoothing his fingers over the now-dry vest that he had been wearing the night before. "I didn't mean to impose myself upon you. But, idle hands, you know," the man offered, stepping towards the couch and drawing a single fingertip along the length of the couch as if still straightening out the ruffled cushions.

"Naw, it's okay," Duo said mildly, flipping his hand over his shoulder as if to dismiss the idea. "I'm sorry I yelled at ya. It's just, ya know, cleaning is usually a chick's job. I feel weird having another guy poking his nose around." The smile was back across his mouth as he tilted his head to the side a bit, marveling at how well Shuichi had in fact been able to clean his apartment in such a short time.

"Any luck?" Shuichi asked, turning his gaze up from the room he had recently organized and to the younger teen.

"Not really," Duo confessed, rubbing his fingers against the back of his neck in that bashful manner he always did. "He didn't know anything, but he said he'd call if he heard anything." For a brief instant Duo felt something stir, deep in his chest, as he watched the tall, narrow frame of the other man lean against the back of the couch he had been forced to sleep upon. It's not that he found the man attractive – that just wasn't how things were done after all – but there was something about him that just drew his attention. The longer he stared, the more he wanted to.

"What is that smell?" Shuichi asked, jerking Duo away from his thoughts.

"Oh! I brought food. I wasn't sure what ya wanted," the blue-eyed teen explained as he stepped away and grabbed a few bags, rummaging through them. "I got burgers and pizza and some Chinese take-out," Duo explained, shooting a quick glance over his shoulder to assess Shuichi's attire, "I mean, ya seem, I don't know, the way ya dress, ya know?"

Shuichi offered him a small smile, a sight that actually caused a warm blush to threaten against Duo's cheeks. He'd never seen such a kind, caring smile from another man before. He didn't even think it was possible except from those from the opposite sex. Duo found himself wishing he had brought more of that particular nationality of food, maybe being able to earn himself another smile from his new friend.

_Stop it, ya sicko!_ Duo ordered himself, drawing his mind back to the real world. _You're not supposed to think like that about another guy!_

"Thank you, Duo," The voice drifted out from the older teen, tickling against Duo's ears like a warm summer's breeze. He felt a small shiver travel along the small of his back at the sound of his name slipping from his friend's lips and again mentally chastised himself for such thoughts.

"Oh, uh, no problem," Duo found himself muttering, at a loss for words for the first time in awhile. He turned, holding out a bag for his new companion as Shuichi stepped forward to accept the edible gift offered to him.

"Hey, uh, Shu-Shu?" Duo asked as he pulled a seat out at the table for himself, rummaging around in one of the bags for a box of food.

"Mm?" Shuichi responded, pulling out a chair as well and seating himself. It didn't take long for the lid to be popped open of his container and the loud sniff of joy to vibrate against the taller man's nose. Duo marveled at how much Shuichi seemed to rely on his sense of smell, almost reminding him of some kind of canine.

"Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but, uh, what's up with the roses? I mean, isn't that a bit…" Duo stopped himself, struggling in vain for the words he was searching for so as not to offend his guest. With a sigh of defeat he simply said it, cursing himself for not thinking faster, "…girly?"

A thin red eyebrow rose in curious amusement at the words Duo had spoken, another soft smile tugging against the tall man's features. "Well, I suppose some people would think that. I find that beauty of any variety, whether from a plant or a person, should be cherished and admired. I never understood how people could claim one thing to be beautiful and then turn around and claim that something else, just a tiny bit different, is wrong and ugly." The words poured like a cloud of tenderness from the man's pale lips as he explained, his green eyes gazing up in a loving manner in the direction of the roses upon the coffee table.

"Take, for example, you and I," Shuichi continued, folding his hands under his chin as he spoke to Duo, "Last night you believed me to be a woman. Did you find me beautiful then?"

Duo only offered a stunned nod as his mouth hung open, his fingers gripping tight around the thick bun of the burger he had been about to sink his teeth into.

"And now, knowing that I am a male, do you still?"

"Well, no. Not really," Duo offered, wondering if perhaps he had just placed his foot in his mouth and accidentally called his new friend ugly. "I mean, guys shouldn't BE beautiful, right? We're supposed to be handsome, not pretty."

"Be that as it may, don't you wonder how your thoughts could change? I mean, the only difference now is you 'know' and you don't 'feel' it," Shuichi patiently explained, rising up from the table while he maintained that thoughtful smile of his. For a minute he looked as if he had more to say, but then he turned and walked away from the table and approached the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Duo asked, noticing Shuichi hadn't yet touched anything in his take-out box.

The tall man froze, his hand leaning against the edge of the doorframe as he turned those green forests of his eyes back to stare at the seated man. "Forgive me; I have been working all day. I should clean up before I eat. If you don't mind, I'd like to take a shower."

Duo could only offer another brief nod before he turned his head away, sinking his teeth into the big squishy burger held in his hands.

"And, for the record, Duo, I find you strangely beautiful AND handsome," Shuichi said before slipping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him with a gentle click.

Duo's eyes grew wide as he felt the food in his mouth suddenly race down his throat, causing him to gag and choke for a second before he wrestled it down to his stomach.

**End Chapter 2**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All characters of Gundam Wing are owned by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Bandai Entertainment. All characters of Yu Yu Hakusho are owned by Yoshihiro Togashi and Viz Media/Funimation. Anything you recognize is either not mine or is pure coincidence. I am not making any money from this fiction.

Rating: T for a few swear words, mild situations, nothing graphic.

Author's Note: Again, in case you did not read the summary, this story is SLASH, YAOI, a MALE/MALE relationship! We get something of a 'date' in this chapter, though I doubt it goes quite the way anyone would expect, but then, Duo is a part of it, so who knows? Constructive criticism and comments are welcome, as are rave reviews! Flames will be used to light my grill and cook some steaks.

**Stolen Desires**

**Chapter 3**

Kurama allowed a tight smile to spread across his lips as he leaned back against the bathroom door, listening to the faint click of the latch. A soft sigh escaped his throat as he tilted his head up a bit, idly wondering exactly what he had meant by his parting words. It wasn't normally like him to be so blunt to another person like that, but the look he saw flickering across Duo's eyes almost demanded a small teasing.

"But then, was I really teasing?" Kurama mused to himself as he reached his fingers up and began to undo the fabric that secured his vest closed. His slender shoulders gave a small shrug, shedding the black fabric from his delicate skin as he stepped away from the door and approaching the large bathtub that offered him the sweet release that only a warm shower could offer.

"He's not exactly a bad looking person," the green-eyed teen said, glancing at his own reflection in the mirror as he spoke, as if seeking approval from his own image. Kurama wondered how long it had been since he felt any kind of compassion, let alone affection, towards another human being in the many years he had been alive.

His hands worked the two knobs of the shower, sending a steady stream of water racing from the nozzle above as he thought about the previous couple of days. His fingers worked against the little white sash that acted as belt around his waist, tugging it aside and draping it lazily over the towel rack on the wall. He gave a brief squirm of his hips, causing the baggy black pants to slip down along his legs and pool up on the floor around his ankles. It didn't take long for his boxers to follow suit, allowing his body to take in the warm rush of air emerging from the rushing shower.

A soft sigh of relief vibrated from within the tall man's chest as he stepped into the soothing rain of warmth that rushed around him. His head hung down, allowing the refreshing caress of water to massage against his still tense shoulder blades, still aching from the awkward position he was forced into last night. Kurama almost relished in the ability to have a warm shower, his body still sticky with dried sweat from his activities throughout the day.

And the smell. Oh, the smell had nearly destroyed his senses as he completed much of the chores that needed to be done around the large apartment. He hated the natural aroma that hung around him, that clung to his only change of clothes, but he was thankful that Duo's nose wasn't nearly as strong as his own. Kurama felt a grim smile pull against one corner of his mouth as he thought about the brown-haired teenager in the other room.

Far be it for Kurama to fall for anyone, but the way Duo carried himself sent a small wave of emotions racing down the demon-thief's spine. Emotions he hadn't been able to feel in years. The shorter man was cocky, to be sure, but the presence he carried gave him such a rugged, mature air about him. Kurama found himself not only admiring it, but respecting it. And he seemed so shy about the talk of 'beauty' that Kurama felt it almost tugging against his heart strings at the brief discussion. He wanted more of it.

Or did he?

Kurama wasn't sure what he wanted, his mind still racing with the thoughts of what could have been the day before. His fingers were so close to reaching the Kitsune's Eye and granting him his ultimate desire, that the shock of it may be playing dangerous games with his mind that he wasn't ready for. Or was he just making excuses?

All too quickly the shower was over, the faint funk of Kurama's sweat swirling down the drain as the crimson-haired man drew himself out of the tub. His deft fingers quickly snatched at a towel hanging beside his sash and wrapped it around his slender waist an instant before the door flew open.

A wide grin hung about Duo's lips as he held up a small piece of paper from the doorway, causing Kurama to quirk a brow at the sudden intrusion into the bathroom. Of course, Kurama didn't have any sense of modesty; he wasn't shy about his body, but he was sure that humans, especially younger human males, had a problem with seeing others in such an exposed way.

"Duo, may I help you?" Kurama asked, tilting his head to the side a bit as the weight from his soaked hair began to press around the ache of his shoulders.

"Check it out, Shu-Shu!" the younger teen sang, waving the little note in his fingers. Kurama allowed another brief grin to tug against the side of his mouth at the nickname given to him, finding it strangely odd that a demon of his former rank would have such a, for lack of a better word, cute name.

"What is it?" Kurama pressed on, whipping his head to the side quickly to throw the wet tendrils of his dark red hair away from his eyes as he tried to keep the shorter human within his view. He found that the mere sight of Duo, his narrow little shoulders, his slender wrists, the long brown braid, pleased Kurama's senses in more ways than he could describe. He genuinely thought the image of Duo Maxwell was…pretty.

"It's a possible location one of my contacts picked up! They say that the thief from last night might be trying to pawn the gem off here," Duo said, puffing his chest out in a proud manner as if he had discovered that the earth was, in fact, round. "It's at an amusement park, I guess with so many people around it'd be hard to notice an exchange in merchandise," Duo explained, stepping forward to hold the note out to Kurama as the taller man held out his hand.

It all happened so fast that even Kurama, his demonic senses flaring, couldn't keep up. Duo tripped over the nest of Kurama's discarded pants, stumbling forward and crashing into the taller man with such a force that sent them both toppling over, the top of Kurama's hair just brushing against the hard porcelain of the bathtub.

Kurama soon found himself sprawled out on his back, the cold tiles of the bathroom pressing rough into the bare flesh of his exposed back. His eyes blinked quickly as he looked up, a long brown braid of hair dangling before his face while Duo shook his head slowly to shake the daze from his mind. Kurama allowed a slender eyebrow to arch up as he stared at the still-closed eyelids of the man above him, Duo straddling one of Kurama's thighs between his legs and his hands planted firmly against the hard titles that flanked either of the redhead's shoulders.

Finding he could no longer control the urge in his mind, Kurama reached a tender hand up from his side and cupped it against the still trembling cheek of Duo, causing the cobalt-blue spheres to snap open in shock. Kurama mused at the thoughts that must be racing through Duo's mind as the shorter teen quickly realized the exact position they must be laying in right then.

"Aw, man! I'm sorry, Shu-Shu!" Duo sputtered, trying desperately to gain purchase with his feet and squirm away from the prone form of Kurama.

The dark green irises of Kurama's eyes stared up in a lost gaze as he watched Duo shake above him, the deep ice-fields of his eyes flickering with a thousand different ideas. Kurama found the sight of Duo, the brunette's lips parted in a light pant, to be almost stimulating. He felt something boiling within his chest that he hadn't felt in as long as he could remember.

The way Duo stopped moving, his muscles tensing against Kurama's thigh, gave the prone redhead the sense that the younger male was feeling the same rush of emotions that Kurama himself had been feeling. It felt as if their bodies could read each other, despite the alarms going crazy in their minds. Kurama only confirmed it when he felt Duo slowly begin to lower towards his body, the blue-eyed teen's tongue darting out just long enough to moisten the drying edges of his own lips. Kurama did little to hinder the approach, his own fingertips caressing against the side of Duo's cheek that seemed only to urge the two's actions onward.

But then common sense flooded back to him, and Kurama drew his hands away, pushing against Duo's chest to remove the man from his body. He wiggled his legs out from beneath Duo with little effort and sat up from the floor, adjusting the towel that still hung loose around his waist. He heard an almost inaudible sigh escape his own chest as he wondered, for just a moment, if he had gone a touch too far with teasing his friend.

"Sorry about that, buddy," Duo said sheepishly as he clambered to his feet, a faint tint of pink hanging upon his cheeks as he tossed the long braid of his hair back over his shoulder where it belonged. "I'll, uh, let you get dressed. And then we can go," he said quickly before spinning around and disappearing from the bathroom, tugging the door closed behind him.

Much to Kurama's relief, it seemed that Duo was still okay and hadn't been too taken aback by the past few seconds and the kiss that almost was. The last thing he wanted to do was scare away the younger human, especially given the stir of emotions that Duo forced in his chest. And he knew, deep down, that Duo wasn't ready for that step yet. He was still confused about the situation and Kurama was going to still give him the chance to back out of anything further.

***

An hour later, Kurama stood staring at the entrance to the massive amusement park, people and attractions littering the large concrete plaza. He held a concerned frown upon his face as he gazed back and forth at the mob of people that walked by, several shooting the two a glance before hurrying by as if trying desperately to get away.

Kurama could understand why. Duo was bouncing around him like a little kid that had been unleashed in, well, an amusement park. The shorter teenager hopped around in circles around the taller man, ranting and raving about how little time he had spent at such a fun place. Kurama could only offer a simple nod in agreement as he watched the younger man disappear then reappear in his view as he danced around Kurama's stoic figure.

"Are you sure this is the place, Duo?" Kurama asked, a faint hint of irritation drifting into his voice as he felt rather conspicuous in this kind of environment. He could hear the people discussing his fiery red hair, or even the outfit he wore, and the buddle of energy with a braid attached that bounced around him. It usually took a lot to get under Kurama's thick hide, but the few hours of sleep he had been able to steal last night were beginning to take their toll.

"Uh-huh!" Duo confirmed, doing a quick cartwheel out of sheer joy of being able to enjoy the park for a second. "My buddy said they'd be here, we just gotta look out for them!"

"And what do they look like?"

"Uh," Duo stopped, rummaging in his pocket to retrieve the slip of paper again. "Let's see, the woman's, um…tall with brown hair. And her appointment is…a man with a hat."

Kurama instantly felt a sense of apprehension at the discovery that his partner may actually be playing a joke on him. "A woman with brown hair…and a man with a hat?" Kurama repeated as if trying somehow to clarify the description further. When Duo simply nodded, Kurama's head hung in defeat as realizing this could be an extremely long day.

"Come on! I wanna ride some of those big ones!" Duo announced, reaching out with both hands to snatch one of Kurama's wrists. The red-haired teen felt a soft sigh escape his lips as he allowed himself to be dragged behind the bounding figure that lead him through the park. Kurama had to continuously remind himself that perhaps if they were higher up they would get a better vantage point to see their targets.

***

Several hundred roller coasters, and a half-dozen false accusations later, Kurama found his stomach rolling with the day's events. Duo had pulled him from ride to ride, not even giving the taller man a moment's rest before they were again riding a cart that had to do an untold number of loops and an unneeded number of drop-offs. Kurama felt ready to lose what little he had left in his stomach when he finally braced his heels down against the dragging tug from Duo, causing the brunette to stop.

"What's up, Shu-Shu? Ya see someone?" Duo asked, whipping around to face his friend with a big grin on his face.

"No," Kurama confessed, his hands pressing against the knot that had begun to form in his abdomen from the countless hours of lurching back and forth. "But I'm afraid I can't get on another of those 'death traps' right now. You go on without me, Duo. I'll keep an eye out for the woman."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Shu-Shu!" Duo offered, hanging his head a bit in shame at the realization of what he must have done to his friend all day. "I know!" he said, slapping a fist into an open palm, "Why don't YOU pick a ride? Then we can be even!"

A faint, relieved smile was Kurama's only answer as, for the first time all day, he snatched one of Duo's wrists and dragged him off in the same manner that he had been all day. The warm press of skin that molded against his fingers caused a soft tingle to dance along his arms, making Kurama glance down curiously at his hands before racing off with Duo in tow.

***

"Oh, man! How lame!" Duo whined as he turned away and planted his chin against his forearms that hung along the rim of the slowly twirling tea-cup ride. His cobalt blue eyes rolled back in an exasperated sigh as the slow ride spun in little swirls while his tongue hung out in a disgusted manner.

Kurama allowed a soft, content laugh to escape his lips as he leaned back against the gentle ride and allowed his arms to rest lazily over the edge. His head tilted back as his eyes gazed skyward, watching the drifting clouds overhead twirl around him as the little cup spun the two around in large circles.

"Seriously, Shu-Shu! This is your idea of fun?" Duo complained again, spinning around in his seat to sit on his knees facing the tall man beside him. Glancing down, Kurama could almost swear he saw the hint of tears forming in those big blue eyes as the little teen whined.

"This is my idea of relaxing," Kurama admitted, turning his eyes back up to gaze wistfully into the sky. He wondered, if he got his hands on the gem, if he could actually join those clouds one day and just drift wherever he liked in the breeze.

"This is my idea of booooring!" Duo whined once more, twisting and fidgeting in his seat as he desperately looked for something to entertain him. Finally his eyes landed on the small turn-table in the middle of the tea-cup that had remained untouched since the ride began. "Ooooh, what's that do?" He asked even as his fingers reached out and gripped the edge of the flat disk, giving it a hard jerk.

"Don't!" Kurama snapped too late, his body jerking back and forth as the energetic teenager happily whipped the wheel back and forth in the middle of the cup. The once peaceful ride began to twist back and forth with each turn of the wheel, causing Kurama to struggle to maintain his balance even while seated.

The ride finally ended and Kurama, even worse than he was before, stumbled out of the tea-cup that had once offered him a brief moment of peace. His legs wobbled slightly as he tried to maintain his balance, his eyes swirling in sickened fits as his brain still told him that he was spinning.

"Now THAT was fun!" Duo chimed behind him, causing Kurama to glance over his shoulder at the bright grin across the brunette's face. Duo held his arms back, with his hands behind his head, in such a casual manner that it looked like he wasn't affected in the slightest at the terrible eruption that had transpired aboard the ride.

Kurama could only groan as he shook his head, shuffling towards an unoccupied bench as close to the ride as his body would allow him to walk. He couldn't understand how Duo could take so much pressure from the rides and not seem phased at all, even his demonic constitution having been thrown for a loop the entire day.

He was just about to plop himself down onto the bench when his ears twitched, picking up a familiar sound he had heard only once before. It was a southern accent, feminine in nature. And he knew exactly who the voice belonged to.

Kurama quickly drew Duo's attention to the source, raising a shaky finger up towards a tall brown-haired woman that held a small paper sack in her lap several benches down. Sitting beside her was a short, stout fat man with a little beanie cap on that buzzed around in the faint breeze of the park. It looked like they were discussing something but over the roar of the crowd, Kurama could only make out a few words.

"Is that her?!" Duo asked, leaping up onto the bench that Kurama had been just moments away from sitting upon and raising his hand up across his brow to shield his eyes.

"Yeah, I think so," the crimson-haired man confirmed, fighting back another bout of sickness and commanding his body to fall in line. He wasn't sure what kind of force he was going to need to exert soon, but he doubted throwing up would be a good tactical advantage in a fight.

"Oh, damn, I think I recognize her," Duo said, squinting his eyes a bit to get a better look.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Duo said with a nod. He hopped down from the bench quickly and clapped his hands together as if to dust them off before he turned to face Kurama, a grim look of determination tensing his jaw. "She's a member of the Underground."

"Underground?" Kurama asked, his mind slowly beginning to return to normal as he glanced back and forth between Duo and the woman who sat several benches away. She seemed to be laughing and enjoying herself thoroughly with the man beside her, almost as if they were there for pleasure and not for a trade-off.

"Yeah, they're traders mostly. They deal in anything from humans to precious gems. Which, I guess, would actually explain why she got her hands on our little prize," Duo confessed, scratching the back of his head as if he had just put two and two together for the first time.

"Do you think she's got the gem on her now? Maybe in that little bag?" Kurama asked, a sense of hope rising in his chest as his green eyes fell upon the small brown sack that the woman seemed desperate to protect.

"Naw, that's probably just her lunch or some crap. The main exchanges happen between the boss and the client. He never trusts his agents to handle the actual deals," Duo explained, a furrowed look of concern playing onto his eyebrows. "Damn, if I knew she was with the Underground then we wouldn't have had to come here, I know where their operations are."

"Great," Kurama mumbled as he rolled his eyes, wishing they had found this little bit of information out several hours BEFORE his stomach had threatened to leave him in the most violent way possible. "Well, let's go there, then. I'm sure between the two of us we can sneak in and relieve them of 'our' jewel," Kurama urged on, feeling that familiar sense of hope creep back into his chest.

Duo turned a sad frown up to stare at his taller friend, giving his head a single shake. "No good, they've got it locked up tighter than a drum. I tried to sneak in once and they nearly beat me to a pulp."

"So, then, what do we do?" Kurama asked, raising a single crimson eyebrow as he turned his gaze away from the woman who seemed not to have a care in the world.

"Well, the EASIEST way is to try to barter your way in," Duo explained, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the woman and man seated at the bench hadn't turned their attention towards the two men talking. "But their primary staple is…well…a little inhumane."

"Oh? What is it? Jewels? Drugs?" the redheaded pressed, feeling the sense of urgency in his mind at the thought of being able to soon reach his goal.

"Naw," Duo said grimly, "They prefer to trade in people."

**End Chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All characters of Gundam Wing are owned by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Bandai Entertainment. All characters of Yu Yu Hakusho are owned by Yoshihiro Togashi and Viz Media/Funimation. Anything you recognize is either not mine or is pure coincidence. I am not making any money from this fiction.

Rating: T for a few swear words, mild situations, nothing graphic.

Author's Note: Again, in case you did not read the summary, this story is SLASH, YAOI, a MALE/MALE relationship! This is my rommate's favorite chapter for, well, rather obvious reasons when you read it. Constructive criticism and comments are welcome, as are rave reviews! Flames will be used to light my grill and cook some steaks.

**Stolen Desires**

**Chapter 4**

"Why me, Shu-Shu!?" Duo whined as he trotted behind his tall friend who kept a steady pace ahead of him. He stumbled a bit as his legs brushed against the loose fabric clinging around them that Duo wasn't used to having, causing the shorter teen to brace himself against the side of the building they had been passing.

The tall red-head stopped and glanced over his shoulder, a determined glint flickering across his dark green eyes. Duo stared up as if to say something more, but the look of those eyes gazing back at him, almost tearing through his soul, caused Duo's heart to thump heavy against his chest, cutting off his words.

"Because, Duo," his friend offered with a small smile, reaching a hand back to steady the shaky teen. "You said yourself, they specialize in trading people. Mostly young girls," Shuichi continued, slipping a helpful hand around Duo's shoulder and giving him some support as Duo stumbled away from the hard bricks beside him. "We have to make it look like we're there to deal; otherwise we'll never get in. It was your idea after all."

"But why do I gotta wear a damn dress!" Duo yelled, causing several people to shoot them curious and shocked glances as they quickly passed by in the streets. Duo's hands reached up to tug on the tight collar-like neck of the little black number that clung tight to his body, the bottom edge hanging just below mid-thigh and sending a cool breeze that Duo hadn't felt before racing up his legs. It was an entire one-piece outfit, and almost tight enough to prevent Duo from breathing. Duo could never understand how women could wear stuff like that and not instantly feel so vulnerable.

"It's not a dress," Shuichi teased, that soft smile spreading across his lips that Duo found so annoying. Or did he mean alluring? Duo felt a rush of confusion dance into his heart as he clicked the long, fake fingernails he had been forced to wear against the side of the wall he had once leaned upon for support. "It's more of a skirt really; I believe dresses billow out more."

"You're missing the point here, man!" Duo fumed, throwing his slender arms into the air in annoyance. His exposed shoulders brushed against the soft strands of his loose braid, having adjusted it just enough to flare out to appear more feminine. "Why do I gotta wear this thing?! Why can't you?!"

"Because," Shuichi hissed in a suddenly hushed tone. The taller teen quickly pulled Duo tight against him and threw his arm around the younger man in disguise. The warm brush of Shuichi's arm tickling against the armless outfit that had been picked out for the operation, "I'm too tall; no one would believe I'm a 'young woman' despite my long hair. And besides," his voice grew soft, almost inaudible as Duo felt that arm tighten around his shoulders that sent a chill racing down his spine, "You look rather cute in a skirt, 'Dua'."

"I ain't cute!" Duo defended hotly as Shuichi's arm drifted away from his shoulders. The brunette could feel his cheeks burn with a fresh blush as he glared up at the back of his friend's head as he spun away. He could hear a taunting laugh escape Shuichi's mouth as he turned to continue his walk towards the building Duo had pointed out to be their target.

It didn't take them long to locate the main entrance to the 'Underground', a long alley hiding the large door that held the dark organization behind it. Much to their dismay, two large guards flanked either side of the door, massive muscles flexing menacingly as the two burley men glared down the alley to stare at the two.

"Follow my lead," Shuichi ordered as he reached back and snatched one of Duo's slender wrists. Duo glanced down, his bottom lip sucking between his teeth as he felt that familiar buzzing of warmth tickle against his flesh wherever his friend touched it. That same feeling had almost overtaken him earlier that day, in the bathroom, but Shuichi, bless his soul, had managed to snap him out of it before he did anything stupid.

_Get over yourself, Duo!_ The brown-haired teen ordered himself mentally. _He's a guy! You don't fall in love with guys, ya damn psycho._

"What do you want?" one of the mountain-like men barked, the heavy stink of smoke and alcohol hanging heavy on his breath.

"I would like passage inside, if you please," Duo heard Shuichi responded, causing a disgusted groan to escape the shorter man's chest. He might be an expert thief, but he was so crass when it came to sounding mean and imposing.

"Go away, kids. This ain't no playground," the man ordered, his partner growling agreement as the two men stood glaring down at the shorter teens. Even Shuichi, being nearly a foot taller than Duo, seemed to be dwarfed by the two large men.

"Now see here," Shuichi's polite voice responded, causing Duo's blue eyes to roll in a defeated manner. No way were they getting into this place with the taller man in control.

Duo felt the fingers wrapped around his wrist tighten a bit, causing the brunette to blink in startled confusion at the harsh press of fingers around his skin. His eyes shot up to stare at the flaring red mane of the back of his friend's head when he heard something that he didn't recognize, a voice that hardly seemed to be from his friend any longer.

"My name is Yoko Kurama and I have a delicious little human that I would like to exchange for some rare items," the taller teen spoke in a voice that caused the other three people standing in the alley to stare jaw-agape in disbelief. Duo felt a sudden shiver of fear rush down along his skin at the sound of the words, not angry or mad, but cold and devoid of emotion. It sounded like his friend was actually from another world of existence all together.

"Y-Yoko Kurama? Oh, shit, I know that name," the previously silent guard said, stepping aside. His big meaty hand slipped back to press the door open as he waved his partner aside in warning. Numbly, the other man stepped aside and allowed the other entrance too.

Shuichi gave a quick nod to the two before stepping in, dragging the mute Duo behind him.

"W-What was that?!" Duo finally managed to pipe up, his voice shaking with fear at the sound that had come from his friend's lips. He felt the fingers slacken a bit around his wrist as he turned the cobalt oceans of his eyes up, staring at the familiar smile from Shuichi as the tall redhead spun around to look at him.

"Forgive me, I'm afraid I have a few secrets that I cannot divulge right now," his friend said, the warmth and compassion flowing back into the sound of his voice. Duo could only nod numbly as he followed his friend down the long, dark hallway behind the door.

They heard it before they saw it, a large crowd of people with booming music that threatened to rattle the teeth loose from their jaws. Stepping around a corner in the hall, the two were greeted with a large glare of lights and sounds that was enough to make Shuichi stumble with the senses that suddenly rushed to his mind. Duo mused that, despite being an underground slave ring, it looked like a massive dance club where people were enjoying themselves.

"Hmm, this is inconvenient," Duo heard Shuichi mutter as he let go of his wrist. The smaller teen tilted his head to the side a bit as he watched his friend reach up and press his palms against either side of his head, grimacing in some kind of pain that Duo couldn't understand. Sure the music was loud, but it wasn't that bad once you got the hang of the beat.

"Wait here, I'm going to see if I can discover anything," Shuichi called over his shoulder as he stepped into the rush of the crowd, his tall, slender frame being knocked back and forth against the dancing people.

Duo frowned as he turned and leaned his back against the cold stone of the hallway that he stood in. A small huff escaped his lips as he swept his braid about and tickled the little puffed up end of it back and forth against his nose. He didn't know why he was being asked to wait here, he knew that two sets of eyes were better than one, but he was also a little glad that his friend hadn't dragged him in there.

As exposed as he felt right now, he would die right now if someone were to brush against him and discover his true gender. More afraid of being caught in a dress than whatever would happen to him if their ruse was found out. But he allowed a small smile to spread across his lips as he wondered how Kurama would have looked in the get-up instead.

"What's this?" A man's voice snapped Duo from his thoughts, turning his head up to stare at three men that had broken away from the dance and approached him. Much to his growing dread he realized what exactly he must look like to them—a small, unattended girl in a black skirt with long hair and no means to defend herself.

"Crap," Duo mumbled to himself as he quickly snapped his hand back behind his waist, grabbing for the handle of his pistol that, much to his growing dismay, he realized he wasn't carrying. Duo stared up as the three shadows of the men approached him, causing him to shrink back against the cold stone of the hallway behind him as if a deer was being surrounded by a pack of wolves.

"Cute little thing, ain't she?" One of the men said to his friends, his tongue slipping out to slide slowly along his thin, greasy lips.

"I dunno man, she ain't got no tits," a second man said, reaching a big meaty finger out to poke against Duo's shivering chest through the dress. Duo could only stare wide-eyed as the man prodded at the little padding Shuichi had made him conceal behind the top of the skirt-outfit, wondering if maybe the both of them had been grossly mistaken as to how convincing Duo could be.

"Who gives a shit? Itty-Bitty-Titties are better than huge cow-udders!" the third man added, reaching his fingers out to snatch at Duo's exposed forearm. A terrifying cold rushed against Duo's skin as the man gripped tight around his arm, not at all gentle like the way his friend would have touched him.

Duo was suddenly aware of what women must feel like when confronted with a similar situation, feeling extremely vulnerable and defenseless at the moment. The men were much bigger than him, not as big as Shuichi but still they towered over Duo like big, stinky giants.

Duo stared trembling up at the man as he shoved the little brunette hard against the wall, causing a light squeak of pain to escape from Duo's shivering lips. He struggled as best he could against the bone-like fingers wrapped around his arm as he saw the man step forward and reach with his other hand, cupping his fingers against the side of Duo's thigh just below the hem of his skirt.

_Oh god, this is so damn gross,_ Duo whined to himself as he felt another set of fingers grasp his other shoulder and hold him tight against the wall, despite his squirming. A hard lump jumped up into his throat as he saw the thin shadow of the man descend upon him and he felt the disgustingly humid breath of the man exhale against Duo's exposed neck.

A faint whimper of repulsion vibrated against Duo's chest as he struggled against the hands that held him, knowing that it probably only encouraged the men on further despite his efforts. Duo's eyes snapped open wide as he felt the hot, burning press of the man's lips against the side of his neck. A small groan of pain escaped the brunette's throat as he felt those sharp teeth rake against the tender flesh.

Duo tried again to pull himself away, but he just couldn't find enough leverage with the way the men were holding him to mount too much of a resistance. Duo's eyes clamped closed tight as he felt those worm-like fingers begin to slide up along the inside of his thigh, lifting the fabric of the skirt as they explored upward.

_Oh well, once he finds out I'm a dude he'll probably stop_, Duo tried to convince himself, hoping behind hope that it would be soon enough or he'd die from the slimy feeling of the man's lips on his neck. _Or…they could kill me in a fit of rage, _Duo suddenly realized, causing several sparkles of tears to form against the sides of his eyes. _This is so gross! I never want to be touched by another man again!_

Duo heard a grunt of pain which drew his eyes open, noticing one of the men that had been assaulting him was holding the side of his cheek as rivers of crimson raced between his fingers. Duo bunched his eyebrows together in confusion as he felt the fingers against him pull away and allowed him to drop, painfully, to his butt on the ground.

"That is my woman," he heard his friend's voice growl from behind one of the men. Glancing down Duo saw that small droplets of red were falling from the tips of Shuichi's fingers, obviously having assaulted one of the men to halt their attack.

"Yeah? I didn't see your name on her," the thin man whom had been touching Duo defended, stepping away from the seated brunette.

"She is merchandise. I would not brand something I am about to sell," Shuichi explained, that cold sound again filling his voice. Duo blinked up as he felt a set of slender fingers grab him by the arm and pull him up, but this time they weren't freezing cold or slimy. A small flush danced across the disguised man's cheeks as he realized that Shuichi's touch was so much more different than the other men's. His was almost, what's the word he wanted…comforting.

"If I must brand her so that you will keep your hands from my property, then I will," Shuichi glared over his shoulder at the men as he, much to Duo's shock, shoved the shorter teen back against the wall once more. Duo grunted in pain as he felt that familiar stab of rough stone against his exposed shoulder blades, his big blue eyes staring in horror at the determined green forest that was Shuichi's gaze.

Duo could only look on in terrified shock as he saw his friend lean towards him, those deep green pools that were Shuichi's eyes narrowing in a hungry glare. Duo squirmed against the cold wall behind him as if to shy away from his approaching friend, his breath quickly escaping in desperate whimpers.

"Shuichi…don't…" Duo heard his own voice squeak out, almost shocked by how weak he could sound when confronted by such a sight in front of him. "Please don't…" he whimpered again, his fingers clenching into shivering fists as he turned his head away from the cold gaze that was his friend's.

"I must, Duo…" Shuichi's voice almost growled back before Duo felt a strange, unfamiliar press of silky warmth against his neck. A sharp gasp escaped his lungs as he tried to jerk away, but his friend's lips remained clamped tight against the trembling flesh of his throat. Much to Duo's surprise, the sensation was so much different than what he had felt just minutes before from the strange man that had nearly taken advantage of him.

Duo actually felt Shuichi's mouth cup over the exact same spot that had once felt so dirty, so violated, by the other man as if his friend knew exactly where the pain would most be. Duo's eyes squeezed shut almost painfully as he felt a hot rush of moisture brushing against his skin, realizing that Shuichi's tongue was lapping tenderly against his own flesh. Despite his mind screaming for him to fight against it, to push his friend away, and then run out screaming, Duo found that his body actually savored the refreshing warmth.

In fact, Duo loved it. The way his friend's lips squeezed and caressed against his neck was almost intoxicating, sending wave after wave of soothing pleasure racing down the little brunette's spine. Duo felt himself even succumb to the feeling, his head tilting back as if to expose himself further to Shuichi's probing tongue as it danced lovingly across the gentle curve of Duo's collarbone.

And then Duo heard a sound that he was unfamiliar with escape his own lips. A deep, throaty moan vibrated against his tongue as his friend suckled and kissed against the edge of his exposed collar. He felt the fingers release his arm, Shuichi shifting his hands down to rest against Duo's slender waist as if to hold himself away from crushing Duo into the wall.

The second Duo's arms were free, he found them racing up to wrap around his friend's head, hungrily pulling his face tighter against his neck. He felt a soft grunt of satisfaction rumble against his skin from his friend as he hooked his forearms around the back of Shuichi's head, burying his arms in the massive mane that was the taller teen's hair.

All too soon the feeling ended, Shuichi drawing his lips away with one final lick before he turned his head to glance at the men behind him. Duo felt his heart racing against his chest as he tried frantically to get his breathing back under control, a heavy pant causing his chest to rise and fall quickly beneath the fabric of the disguise he wore.

"Are you satisfied now?" he heard his friend ask, his ears pounding with the sound of his pulse as he tried so bad to contain himself. He felt a hot burning against the side of his neck and knew, from the way the men frowned and turned away, that there had been a dark red mark left upon his flesh from his friend.

"Yeah, yeah. Damn," one of the men said as they retreated back into the crowd of the dance floor.

"You see the way she squirmed under him? Hot little minx loved it, I bet," one of the other men teased before the roar of the crowd overcame the sounds of their voices.

"I am deeply sorry, Duo. Please forgive me," Duo heard his friend mumble, drawing the shorter teen's attention away from the retreating men. The emerald-like eyes of Shuichi's shimmered with sorrow as he looked down at his friend, a concerned frown upon the pale lips of the redhead. Duo actually thought his friend were about to burst into tears. It was almost an exact contrast in personality that Shuichi had shown just a short time before.

Duo could only nod numbly as he stared up at his friend, his chest still thumping quickly with his pounding heart. His cobalt-blue eyes dropped down to notice his arms, still locked around the sides of Shuichi's head as the taller man attempted to pull away.

"No!" Duo cried out as he tensed his arms from his friend's retreat, drawing a look of shock from the taller teenager. A narrow red eyebrow quirked in a questioning manner, something Duo noted that made Shuichi look so damn adorable that it didn't matter anymore who he was or why they were there. Duo had to have more.

Before Shuichi could even voice his protest, Duo tugged his arms down and pulled the startled man back towards him. Duo allowed a light sigh of relief to escape an instant before he crushed his lips tight against the startled Shuichi's. Much to Duo's delight, he felt the other man return the kiss with a fervor that surprised the both of them. It wasn't tender by any means, but there was emotion behind it. It wasn't gentle, but full of need. The both of them melted against each other as they pressed their hungry mouths against one another.

Almost instantly Duo felt the moist flick of a tongue glance across his lips, urging them to part against the assault. Duo did eagerly and was greeted by the refreshing rush that was Shuichi's tongue probing into his mouth, filling Duo with the delicious taste that was his friend's flesh. The brunette drew a sharp breath against the crushing force of his friend's lips, his nostrils filling with the scent of freshly cut roses as Shuichi pressed hungrily against Duo's body.

Again, Duo heard the moan rock against his throat, this time a similar sound echoing from Shuichi as the slender, gentle fingers gave a squeeze against Duo's hips. Duo found himself squirming beneath the touch, savoring the thinness of the outfit he wore as he could still feel the warmth radiating from Shuichi's hands through the fabric.

Duo had never felt so wonderful in his entire life, never having known another man's lips could feel so hard and yet so soft, against his own. He lost himself to the feeling, his arms desperately holding Shuichi against him as their two tongues danced in an eager, needful ballet within Duo's mouth. He could feel his friend's breath quicken to match his own, the two men beginning to pant heavily as the kiss intensified to the point of nearly bruising their lips.

A small groan of loss escaped Duo's throat as Shuichi drew his head away, a thin layer of glistening saliva sparkling against the side of his mouth that the redhead quickly removed with a flick of his nimble tongue. Duo could see his friend panting hard to catch his breath, his own smaller frame shivering with the sight of his friend having enjoyed it as much as Duo had. But he hadn't had enough, his body craved more.

Duo's lips parted in hungry anticipation of another bout of kissing, his body arching forward to meet Shuichi's halfway, when he heard a familiar click of a hammer being drawn back on a gun.

**End Chapter 4**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All characters of Gundam Wing are owned by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Bandai Entertainment. All characters of Yu Yu Hakusho are owned by Yoshihiro Togashi and Viz Media/Funimation. Anything you recognize is either not mine or is pure coincidence. I am not making any money from this fiction.

Rating: T for a few swear words, mild situations, nothing graphic.

Author's Note: Again, in case you did not read the summary, this story is SLASH, YAOI, a MALE/MALE relationship! And, this is the last chapter of this story. I hope you've all enjoyed it, and at some point, maybe I'll write a sequel for it as well. I know my roommate would love that. We'll see. Constructive criticism and comments are welcome, as are rave reviews! Flames will be used to light my grill and cook some steaks.

**Stolen Desires**

**Chapter 5**

Kurama grunted as a forceful hand shoved him forward, his legs stumbling a bit before regaining their balance. A small curse trickled from between Kurama's lips as he straightened himself up and looked about, berating himself for being caught so easily. He hated that he allowed his guard to drop at such a crucial time, but knew that there had been a good enough reason to. A reason that would probably result in his death.

Kurama shot a quick glance to his side as he heard his partner, Duo, being shoved in the same manner to stand in the middle of the large office room. A small sneer tugged against the side of Kurama's mouth as he noted the slash marks of his friend's outfit, the fabric spreading open to reveal razor-thin lacerations against his alabaster skin. It almost broke the ancient demon's heart to see Duo's beautiful body marred in such a manner with no regard to the loveliness that was his figure.

His body was covered with similar marks, but he hardly felt them. His blood burned with anger at having watched their captors, one of which being the woman they had followed to the park, threaten the two teens with freshly sharpened blades and a gun if they didn't obey their orders. And then they were paraded through the 'club' to the boss's office, obviously being some kind of offering to appease the person who ran the 'Underground'.

"Well, well, if it isn't the legendary Yoko Kurama," a voice drew his attention, snapping his gaze away from the horror of Duo's body. His emerald eyes shifted to the large leather chair behind the wooden desk before the two men. His arms would have probably snapped up to snatch the hidden rose within his hair if not for the cold, harsh metal bindings that kept his wrists behind his waist.

"And is that…Duo Maxwell also?" the figure inquired, leaning forward a bit as two ruby-red eyes peered at the two teens that stood mutely in the room. "My, I had no idea I was so popular as to draw the attention of two luscious boys," the woman seated at the chair teased, tapping a long silver-painted nail against the desk as she spoke.

"Damn, I thought it was a dude," Kurama heard Duo mumble; obviously referring to whom they had believed to be running the operation.

"It would seem this little adventure is full of surprises," the redhead offered, turning a bright smile down towards his brunette friend. He tried desperately to keep his mind away from the pain that Duo must be feeling; knowing that if he let it get to him for too long, his true self might rise up. "But I must admit, I am a bit shocked as well. I never would have believed women would so be involved in the cruel exchange of other women for profit," Kurama pressed, hoping to buy some time to work up a plan.

He felt a little nudge against his forearm from his friend, drawing Kurama's attention down to glance at Duo. He could just barely make out the tip of the younger man's braid, a small piece of metal wire slipping from it as his fingers slyly tugged on it. It would appear that his young friend had more up his sleeve than the demon-thief had given him credit for.

Kurama shot a quick glance behind them, making sure their capturers weren't going to discover Duo's plan. Much to the red-haired demon's relief, their captors stood outside of the now-closed door behind them, leaving only the single woman guard and the boss in the room. Kurama wondered for a second if the women were just cocky, or if they truly underestimated their abilities.

"The world is harsh, my dear little fox," the seated woman offered, drawing Kurama's attention once more. "If we don't engrain that into these young people's minds, they might grow arrogant and stupid. Perhaps even go so far as to stick their nose where it doesn't belong," the woman explained, rising up from the fluffy leather chair she had been seated at.

He could hear his young friend's breathing catch at the sight of the woman; his own heart skipping a single beat. She was simply ravishing, to say the least. As she stepped around the desk, the light from one of the few lamps fell upon her. Her long, smooth red hair hung far below her waist, stopping in a small golden hoop tied at the end that dangled just below her knees. The skin-tight dress hugged against the smooth curves of the luscious woman, her milky white thighs just barely visible above black fishnet stockings.

Kurama instantly fell in love with the sight of her.

"But, forgive me, it seems I know all about the two of you but you know nothing of me," the woman offered with a soft smile upon her supple pink lips. She offered a very small curtsey as she kept the solid gaze of her crimson eyes on the two men who watched her every movement, and spoke with a voice that would almost be as tender as a lover's if not for her intent, "My name is Scarlet. And I will be your executioner tonight."

"Aww, come on! Isn't that a bit extreme?" Duo whined, his arms fidgeting slightly in the corner of Kurama's eyes.

Unfortunately, Kurama felt the draw of the woman's body more than he could control. The elder teen found it almost impossible to look away from the gentle, alluring sway of the woman's hips as she drifted towards the two men. Despite what had transpired mere moments before they were caught, Kurama found himself hungrily attracted to the sensual grace of the woman before him.

"Well, perhaps so," the woman confessed, reaching a hand up to tap the tip of her sharp nails against her jaw in mock thought. "I mean, it's not everyday two handsome, intelligent, and skilled men are dropped into my lap. Perhaps we could work out a deal that would be…mutually beneficial?" It hadn't taken her long to cross the distance from her desk to the two men, standing before the taller as she peered up at him.

"I know what you desire, Yoko Kurama," the woman cooed as her hands rose up to press her open palms against the unfasten front of his black vest. The cold tips of her nails raked upward against his exposed flesh, small red welts forming under her touch. Kurama drew a sharp hiss between clenched teeth as he stood restrained before the minor assault, a deep flush beginning to race into his cheeks. "I can give it to you, if you'll agree to my demands."

Kurama, a bit stunned by the offer, allowed a single red eyebrow to quirk up in a questioning manner. It had become habit for him as of late and the fox-demon found it strangely relieving. "Let us pretend, for a moment, that I believe that you know what I want. What would your demand be?"

A soft giggle escaped the woman's throat as she twisted around, pressing her round bottom into Kurama's groin. Scarlet arched her back a bit, pressing her shoulder blades into his chest as she tilted her head back to rest again Kurama's collar bone. A single hand rose up, cupping tenderly against the side of Kurama's cheek as she gazed longingly up at him.

"Be mine. Love me. Take me. Obey me," the seductive woman offered, her fingertips lightly dancing against the smooth flesh of the taller man's cheek. She gave a slow, forceful wiggle against his groin that sent a wave of burning desire racing up along Kurama's spine, drawing another faint hiss from his between his lips. "Do these things and I will give you the Kitsune's Eye. You can be 'whole' again."

Kurama had to fight back a voice in the back of his mind that screamed, begged, pleaded, for him to accept her offer. If nothing else then for the simple reason that she was beautiful—no, more than beautiful, she was the most flawless creature he had ever seen in all of his years alive. But he heard a faint click of metal on metal beside him, keeping his mind in the here-and-now.

"And what of Duo?" Kurama pressed, trying desperately to maintain control of his urges. His body had already long deserted him, the tensing of his loins more than enough to betray him, but his mind remained as sharp as it could be given the situation.

"Well, I believe my assistant, Rose, had a strange attraction for him. I offer him the same deal to her, as I do for you," Scarlet confessed, shooting a quick glance to Duo before turning her shimmering red eyes to the woman who remained behind her desk. "You both become what we want, for as long as we want, and we will shower you with the things that your heart can only dream of."

Kurama turned a quick glance of his forest-colored eyes to the woman who remained a good distance away, almost looking upon the scene bashfully. It was the same woman that had stolen from them in the first place, and now it seemed she wanted even more to humiliate them. His heart ached at the thought of Rose, the same name of the flower he so lovingly adored, would be so malicious and evil in her intent.

"I ain't gonna be anyone's sex-slave!" Duo yelled as his hands burst free from behind his back. A glint of steel flickered across his fingers as he spun around and hurled a thin, needle-like protrusion through the air towards the woman known as Rose. A soft gasp escaped her lips as the needle stuck into her forehead. As her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her body crumbled to the floor. "I'm the damn God of Death!"

Kurama felt the body against him tense slightly, but she hardly seemed shaken by the sudden collapse of the other woman in the room. "Well, that is unfortunate," he heard her say before he felt the arm lower from his cheek. Looking down he saw a pistol gripped tight in the lovely, delicate fingers of her other hand. The hammer drew back as the barrel rose to aim directly between Duo's eyes.

"Aw, man," Duo cursed as his eyes crossed at the sight of the gun aimed at him. "Come on, Shuichi, or Yoko, or Kurama, or whatever your name is. Give me a hand here, would ya?" The dark blue oceans of Duo's eyes turned a pleading gaze up to the taller man, almost begging for his help.

When Kurama simply hung his head, the gentle, mocking giggle from Scarlet again filled the room. She spun around; the gun still trained on Duo, to press her well-endowed chest against Kurama's bare torso and hugged herself tight against his slender frame with her free arm. "It seems I've won over at least one of you handsome young men," she mocked, as she flicked the gun from side to side as if to command Duo to step away from them.

"Come on, Shu-Shu," Duo pleaded, his hands rising in defeat as he took several steps away from the two. He almost stumbled against the side of the desk as the swirling, tear-filled spheres of his cobalt eyes stared dejectedly up at Kurama. The brunette's jaw trembled with emotion as he watched his friend do nothing to help him, the harsh burn of betrayal flashing across his face.

"I am…sorry, Duo," Kurama tried to explain, his voice cracking with sorrow at the look that his friend had been giving him through the brief exchange. "I must have the Kitsune's Eye. You wouldn't understand," Kurama felt instantly as the words left his lips, that he was no longer trying to convince Duo of the words, but himself.

"Mmm, and you'll have it too, my love. Just as soon as you dispose of this trash for me," Scarlet ordered, her fingers nimbly reaching around Kurama and flicking across the cuffs that held him, allowing his arms to fall free to his sides. Her hand then reached around and grasped one of his, guiding it up to the gun that she held to the side for him. "A single shot is all it will take, I believe."

"Forgive me, Duo Maxwell. This is several hundred years in the making," Kurama forced the words from his own lips, his jaw clenching as he fought back the rush of pain that threatened to rise up from his heart. "Know that this is not personal, but I must get that gem…." For the first time in Kurama's life he grasped the handle of a human-made weapon, knowing that he had to obey the woman's orders or else risk losing his side of the bargain.

The grim stare that came back from his friend shocked Kurama to the point that his finger halted in mid-squeeze of the trigger. As he stared at the younger man he saw, not fear of death, but the hurt of losing something more precious than his life. He saw an emotion that he had felt before, but never truly understood. Duo stared at him, jaw clenched in determination, as if daring Kurama to take away the most precious thing in the entire world.

"Do what you have to, Shuichi," Duo's voice came stern, solid. Kurama blinked back several tears at the sound of the human name he had adopted many years ago with his human family. He had never thought of himself as anything more than Yoko Kurama, Shuichi Minamino being a distant play that he was forced to act in. But the way Duo said the name, the urging need behind the words, struck Kurama as a slap to the face. Perhaps his life didn't need to be lead in chasing a dream thought of many years ago.

"I believe I will," Kurama finally said, tossing the gun over his shoulder and brushing away from the alluring woman that had nearly plastered herself against his exposed chest. He quickly closed the distance between himself and Duo, his hands reaching out to wrap around the slender shoulders of the braid-wearing teen as he felt Duo's own arms encircle his sides. He felt the familiar warmth of the younger teen melt against his exposed chest, his heart racing heavily inside his body at the mere touch of the man.

"How dare you!" the woman fumed, stomping her foot against the floor in anger at the sight of the two men hugging. "You would turn down me to be with that…that…BOY!?" she screamed, the previously attractive features of her face disappearing behind a roar of enraged fury. "I know your weakness, Kurama! You HAVE to love beautiful things! You must!"

Kurama tilted his head back to shoot a cold, indifferent stare back at the woman he had left behind, a faint smile tugging against the side of his mouth. "I do, Scarlet. I love Duo," he said calmly, his arms protectively squeezing around the shorter teen's shoulders as he felt a warm gasp of breath tickle against his bare torso from the man in his arms.

"I'll kill you both myself!" she screamed as she stepped back to where the gun had been discarded and snatched it up. She quickly lifted the sight of the gun up to train on the taller man, the sting of rejection guiding her fingers as she pulled the trigger.

"NO!" Duo yelled as he twisted in Kurama's arms, forcing his body between the tall redhead and the path of the oncoming bullet. A soft grunt escaped his throat as Duo looked up at the stunned face of Kurama above him, a weak smile spreading across his lips. A single, blood-splattering cough erupted from Duo's mouth before the deep oceans of his eyes rolled back in his head and his body grew slack in Kurama's arms.

"Duo!" Kurama cried, giving the brunette a gentle shake as he tried desperately to revive the limp form in his arms. Tears burned against the side of Kurama's eyes as he slowly lowered to his knees, carefully trying to comfort the wound that the bullet had torn open in Duo's back. Kurama tried urgently to draw Duo's attention, giving him several soft shakes to no avail.

"Hmph, deadweight," the woman mocked, training the gun down to aim directly at Kurama's forehead.

"Yes. You are." Kurama heard the voice come from himself, but not himself. A sharp glare snapped up to stare at the woman that had attacked the two men, the strong aura of his bloodline blazing fiercely around his body. White, almost invisible, flickers of flames danced around his body as Kurama allowed himself to fall into that familiar state deep within his soul that housed the power that he needed. Silver wisps of his own hair danced across the golden irises of his shifting eyes, his clothes quickly bursting away as spirit energy quickly replaced his garments with those of his inner self.

Yoko Kurama, the spirit fox, had been set free.

Scarlet could only stare in mute shock at the transformation, her shaking fingers trying desperately to unleash a barrage of bullets to halt the man before her.

Kurama stood and raised a single hand, freezing the bullets in mid-air just inches from connecting with his palm. He flinched a single finger and unleashed his energy, obliterating the tiny metal projectiles with but a thought. His gaze settled on the trembling woman that stood before him, her fingers idly clicking the trigger as if to send more bullets racing from the empty magazine.

"You know," Kurama spoke, his voice deeper and harsher than it had been in years. He hadn't had to let himself fall this far since he had parted with his friends across the globe, almost wishing he hadn't had a need to do it now. "If you had just attacked me, I might have let you die quickly. But now you will suffer a thousand deaths before you finally pass, you cold, UGLY bitch!"

The woman's eyes grew wide at the harsh word hurled against her, the gun falling to the floor in a hollow clatter as she spun away to retreat through the door behind her.

Kurama turned his palm upward and snapped his fingers, a hundred microscopic dots racing from his grasp to fly through the air towards the fleeing woman. A grim smirk spread across his lips as the cloud of small seeds engulfed the woman before she had made it more than several steps, halting her retreat in mid-step. The sparkling golden spheres of his eyes watched as the woman took a deep breath and snapped her hands up to her throat, choking against the invading spores.

"W-What have you done to me?!" she demanded, spinning around to face him as the cloud began to disperse around her form, small black dots littering her previously perfect skin.

"I have covered you in the Bursting Death plant. Each of those seeds will find a pore in your skin, whether by design or fault, and sprout. Even your sweat pores will become home to the newly introduced plant," Kurama explained coolly, staring at the woman as tiny red welts began to form against her body. A small river of blood began to ooze from her ears and nostrils as he spoke, the spores that invading her body working quickly.

"Of course, they're extremely small. So it will take them several hours to fully blossom. The seeds that you swallowed have probably taken root in your vocal cords by now, so you won't even be able to scream," Kurama explained with a simple shrug. "But trust me, you will feel each plant grow, wiggling its roots into your skin like tiny maggots burrowing into your flesh. And the ones inside will destroy your organs over time. I assume you'll drown in a pool of your own blood before the rise of the sun."

Her eyes stared wide back at him, small black tendrils already beginning to snake beneath the transparent outer film of her eyeballs. Her knees buckled beneath her, forcing her to the floor in agony as he explained his assault.

"And then, when the pain becomes almost unbearable, the plants will all blossom at the exact same time. Your body will rupture, leaving nothing but a quivering mass of blood and flesh that will be quickly absorbed by the beautiful flourish of the flowers," Kurama explained it so casually that he almost scared himself with the harshness of it. But then the figure lying against his feet quickly reminded him of the need to be so outrageously evil.

"However, if you tell me where the Kitsune's Eye is, I may find it in my heart to halt the process. You might be left with a few disgusting scars and probably the loss of your voice, but you'll live," Kurama offered, still trying to fulfill his dream and acquire the treasure that may have cost him the most dearest thing in his life.

Scarlet raised a shaking finger up to point at the desk behind the tall man, waving her hand as if to indicate one of the drawers. Kurama quickly leapt over the wooden desk and drew one of the drawers open at her instructions, finding the glinting image of the gem peering back up at him.

With a triumphant grin across his face, he snatched the gem up and walked back around the desk. He slipped the Kitsune's eye into one of the pockets of his fresh white clothes before bending down. His strong arms quickly scooped under Duo's still form and lifted him up, cradling him almost as if he were a child against his chest as he stepped towards the door.

"Wait…" the woman rasped, gagging against the forceful plants that had begun to invade her body, "You…promised…"

A thin, silver eyebrow rose against Kurama's forehead as he glanced down at the woman on the floor, "I don't recall ever saying that I 'promise'. I said that I 'may' find it in my heart. Unfortunately for you, the single key to my locked heart lies dying in my arms," Kurama explained, turning away from the woman and approaching the door once more, "More is the pity for you, I suppose."

Kurama unleashed the full brunt of his energy before him, shredding the door in a shower of splinters that rained out into the crowd below. He walked slowly, purposefully through the stunned crowd as he made his way out of the building and away from the events that had transpired.

***

It didn't take Kurama long to return to Duo's apartment, his mind fresh and clear with the power that coursed through his body at the moment. Ginger fingers slipped from beneath Duo's still form as Kurama placed the cold, dying body against the couch that he had slept upon the night before.

Having freed his hands, he quickly worked to bring his treasure out from his pocket, a hungry glimmer flashing across his eyes as he peered into the jewel. He stared at the single impurity, the red slit that gave the gem its namesake, as he allowed the very briefest of his demonic energy to seep out and activate the Kitsune's Eye.

"_He who hath awaken me, know that I am desire incarnate._" A hollow, echoing voice filled the room. "_Know now that your deepest desire can be fulfilled with but a simple request. But remember this, ask for more than your share and I shall wage a heavy price upon your soul."_

Kurama felt the moisture race from his throat, a heavy parch settling in as he stared longingly into the gem. He knew what he wanted. He had sought it for more than a century, and now it was within his grasp.

"Wait, how much is my share?" Kurama asked, those words haunting the back of his mind as he thought about his greatest desire.

"_You are granted but one wish from me. No one deserves more than that, so I have spoken."_

Kurama frowned at the gem held in his hands, the faintly pulsating warmth caressing against the delicate fingers that had so recently been held under Duo. His eyes flickered back to the man on the couch, the weak rise and fall of his chest showing the quickly escaping time that the human had remaining to live. Kurama knew the sight; he had forced it upon so many people before that he recognized death when it was near.

"One wish…" Kurama reminded himself, drawing the four fluffy puffs of his tails around from his back. He hugged the light fur of the mass of tails against his chest, his eyes glistening with desire to fulfill his dream of finally owning the remaining five tails to make him a full-fledged nine-tailed kitsune youkai. A soft sigh escaped Kurama's lips as he felt a gentle shudder run down his demonic body, several droplets of tears rolling down his cheeks to land into the cottony poofs that were his tails.

He knew what he had to wish for, the only thing that burned fiercely in his mind. He had struggled so hard to finally achieve his dream, and now he just had to mutter the simple words. 'I wish to be a nine-tailed fox' was all he had to say, and it would be true. He could leave the human world in peace then, returning to his own happy realm of demons and beasts.

"I wish…" Kurama started, his jaw trembling as his golden eyes again fell upon the still form of Duo before him. The words echoed in his mind over and over again as he tried to force himself to utter the simple request. "I wish…" he said again, his tails twitching with need in his arm as he struggled desperately to maintain his dream that he worked so hard to accomplish.

"I wish for Duo to live…"

"_It is done," _the voice informed, bright yellow energy racing from the gem held in Kurama's hand and slamming into the prone body of Duo.

Kurama heard a heavy gasp escape the brunette man's lips as his lungs again began to draw desperate breaths of air. Tears of joy raced down Kurama's trembling cheeks as he watched the dark blue eyes flutter open, his heart racing at the sight of Duo's skin regaining the normal color of the living.

The gem cracked and shattered into a million pieces in Kurama's hand, but he wasn't even aware of it as he was dropping to his knees beside the couch. The previously furious aura around him shattered into a sparkle of raining glitter, his body returning to the normal form of Shuichi Minamino as his mind lost the desperate need to avenge his injured friend. Red strands of his hair again fell before his eyes as Kurama tried to steady his thumping heart, his trembling fingers reaching out to touch Duo to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Oh, man, what a headache!" Duo exclaimed, reaching his hands up to brace against his temples. A startled yelp escaped his throat as Kurama nearly bowled him over in an urgent hug, Duo awkwardly blinking as he felt the hot droplets of tears falling against his exposed shoulder.

"Oh, Duo!" Kurama exclaimed, burying his face tenderly against the side of the brunette's neck. He inhaled the deep scent of the man; savoring the refreshing flavor that Duo's body gave off whenever he was confused. "You do not know how pleased I am!"

"What? Why would you…" Duo started, his own arms wrapping around the taller man's waist as he scooted against the couch a bit, drawing Kurama to lie across his lap. "Oh…I was shot," Duo remembered, the cold pain of the bullet tearing into his flesh burning fresh into his mind. "I should be dead. How did you…?"

Kurama remained silent as he simply soaked in the warm energy that drifted away from the young teen, losing himself to the loving embrace as he gently nuzzled against the side of Duo's neck.

"The Kitsune's Eye?" Duo finally connected, pulling away from Kurama so he could stare the redhead in the eyes. A worried frown tugged against the side of Duo's lips as he scanned the older teen's face for signs of confirmation. "What about your wish?"

"I have my wish, Duo," Kurama whispered lightly as he leaned in and cupped his lips over Duo's. The younger teen tensed a bit at the hot caress of Kurama's mouth, but eased against it quickly and returned the gesture in kind. His arms giving a loving squeeze as the two embraced each other.

Kurama pulled back a bit, resting his forehead against Duo's to gaze lovingly into the deep blue cobalt gems of the young man's eyes. "I meant what I said, Duo. I love you."

"I…I love you too, Kurama…" Duo whispered, tears threatening to race down the sides of his eyes as he returned the longing gaze from the other teen.

"Please," Kurama whispered in return, leaning forward to again brush his lips along Duo's as he spoke, "call me Shuichi…"

**End Chapter 5**

**End Story**

**Author's Note: Well there it is, the end of a short story that started because my roommate demanded it. I gotta admit, i was a little hesitant at first. I never wrote a Yaoi before. But I did find it was easier to write from the perspective of two guys than from a guy and a girl. There's a sequel in the works for sure, i actually like the chemistry these two have together and they really click in my mind. But I'd like to have some input from those that read it. Was it too sappy? Was it too short? Did i capture their personalities right? Please let me know, and I promise to take your opinions into account with the next installment of their relationship.**


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